Starch as a determinant of plant fitness under abiotic stress

Contents Summary 943 I. Introduction 943 II. Multiple functions of starch metabolism 944 III. Starch metabolism during abiotic stress 945 IV. Enzymes involved in stress‐induced reorganization of starch metabolism 945 V. Regulation of starch metabolism during abiotic stress 948 VI. Conclusions and outlook 949 Acknowledgements 950 References 950 Summary Abiotic stresses, such as drought, high salinity and extreme temperatures, pose one of the most important constraints to plant growth and productivity in many regions of the world. A number of investigations have shown that plants, including several important crops, remobilize their starch reserve to release energy, sugars and derived metabolites to help mitigate the stress. This is an essential process for plant fitness with important implications for plant productivity under challenging environmental conditions. In this Tansley insight, we evaluate the current literature on starch metabolism in response to abiotic stresses, and discuss the key enzymes involved and how they are regulated.